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Podcast #538: Research-Backed Answers to All Your Fitness FAQs

Which should you do first when you work out — cardio or weights? How long does it take to get in shape? How long does it take to get out of shape? How important is your form when you run? Does exercise really contribute to fat loss? Does music help or hurt your athletic performance?

These are the kinds of questions folks have about exercise, and have trouble finding good answers to. The advice out there on blogs and magazines is often confusing and contradictory. My guest today set out to cut through the noise by finding the best research-backed answers to these questions and more in his book Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights? Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise. His name is Alex Hutchinson, and he started out as a Cambridge-trained physicist and a long-distance runner on the Canadian national team, and is now a journalist and author. Today on the show, Alex walks us through what the scientific literature says about some of the most common fitness and health questions out there. This is a fun and interesting conversation packed with lots of useful insights. Will your own theories and practices be confirmed or challenged? Listen in to find out!

Show Highlights

Cardio or weights? Which should you do first in your workouts?

Why convenience and enjoyment is so important to your fitness routine

What does it really mean to get “in shape”?

How long does it take to see improvements in your weight, fitness, aesthetics, etc.?

How long does it take to get out of shape?

Why your fitness habits are more important than your fitness specifics

What does the research say on the relationship between exercise and weight loss?

Why weight training and HIIT does more for weight loss than steady cardio

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